1988 Talladega DieHard 500

[@tg8150]

It’s like an episode of the twilight zone watching these old races. The crowds, the enthusiasm, the no fear of everyone, the packed stands, the distinct cars of each manufacturer, the speeds, the memory of watching this as a 16 year old boy. You just wish it was real life today. The 1980’s were truly the ending of the good life of the 20th century. Sad.

[@tuowl0564]

I agree! I grew up with this era of NASCAR as a young kid! I remember watching these races with my dad each and every Sunday! My first time going to a Cup event was in 1988 at Pocono. This is the closest thing I can get to legit time travel.

[@joeyjohnson4826]

I agree, I give my wife a hard time , say you know what was better. No what? The 80s 🤣 maybe cause I was just a kid, but these old videos do prove. They were better from the culture to the cars to everything.... suck it up attitude... 💪

[@alandenson6649]

Yeah the restrictor plates harkened the end of the golden era.

[@NSBlack_Stallion]

Life used to be a lot less controlled, ie freedom.

[@chrisfinamore6364]

When most of the country loved cars instead of cell phones.

[@EricCox4848]

Ken Schrader's first win. Months before it was Phil Parsons and Schrader had a shot in that race. And probably one of the best races. Back when brand identity meant so much. Aside from special nose pieces on the cars, they at least resembled Chevrolet, Ford, Pontiac, Buick, and Oldsmobile. 1988 was one wild and crazy season for NASCAR.

[@dugjay]

Thanks for these vids. I'd rather spend 3 hours watching this than the crap NASCAR is pushing like bad crack these days.

[@dlbarney2]

Yeah, and bill Elliot looked like a mutant too.

[@alwaysopen7970]

Watching racing made e a bad rush hour driver. I realized you can look over at the car next to you at 70 mph and touch it. I tried a few times when the good angel on my shoulder said "don't". Lil Hotstuff on the other shoulder called me a pussy.

[@paulmatthews463]

When Talladega wasnt just a race, it was an event.

[@chrissnyder3430]

Soooooo 1988 and they have sights and sounds that make you feel like you are on the track! 2019 and I feel nothing. These 80's and 90's races are the bomb! You had 20 some drivers who had a legit chance to win. (Buddy Baker going low in the 88 to pass 5 cars was awesome). Nowadays, 4? 5? Guys who legit can win. Give me this race any day!! Thanks Smiff!!

[@94nolo]

20+ drivers can win at Dega

[@mrnascar9129]

@@94nolo there were only 4to6 drivers capable of winning in this race. Today there are 30 cars that can win at a plate track

[@94nolo]

@@mrnascar9129 Right, that's what I'm saying. These days it's quite even.

[@chrissnyder3430]

Bull!

[@alwaysopen7970]

They don't like 4-7 car breakaways to leave the field behind as it is considered "boring" by too many fan's standards. The point is racing, going fast to be the first to go 500 miles. We are sinking in a sea of soy.

[@1776_Garage]

Restrictor plates were such a terrible idea.

[@MyKittyPercy]

I have been watching all the races from the 80’s...this might be my favorite so far. I feel bad for Waltrip, but that ending was meant to be

[@tnwhiskey68]

With an ad about every 4 minutes, This is about like watching TV.

[@tnwhiskey68]

Ken Squire always specified a bit on the "Van" when he said "Ernie Err' Van". After Squire, it seems like they always said it like "Erv in". Ol' Ernie Irvan really had some rough early years and suddenly turned into a weekly contender!

[@deletethemedia3445]

This very race got my 8 year old self hooked on Nascar. I remember sitting on the floor with my dad screaming at the TV during the final lap, cheering for Schrader to get his first cup win and then going ballistic when he did. I was at the race in Dover when he got his final win in 91. I can't watch Nascar anymore. Too many ridiculous changes that ruined the sport.

[@fivespeed42]

Same here, I was about the same age, around 12. Schrader became my favorite driver after taking over the 25. I remember being really upset because they didn't show him celebrating in victory lane

[@Timster2]

Always liked the crowd reaction at 1:48:30 in response to Davey Allison getting in the Miller Buick.

[@richardstephens5570]

You can see many empty seats, it was because of the brutal heat. This race was eventually moved to the fall.

[@cnking27]

hell of a drive by the winner. I was wondering when I was gonna see a win for him. it really sucks that they cut away for golf and didn't get a victory lane interview. the move of the race is him making a 3-wide pass at 2:47:14, but we don't see it because they jumped to Cale's in-car camera.

[@fivespeed42]

Schrader should of had more wins in that 25 (he ended up with 4) but he had some of the worst luck I've ever seen a driver have throughout the years

[@Thomas-d6v]

bring back racing to the way it use to be .

[@shelbysolko7783]

Ken Ragan? From Unadilla, Georgia? That is David Ragan's father in row 18! So Ken Ragan was racing long before David Ragan raced and won at Talladega in 2013.

[@luckyPiston]

Man that Earnhart could drive , just awesome to watch him gather up a car at 200 mph , gets the adrenaline going just watchin it !

[@chrisrhoads8256]

💪🤛👊🤜👍🏎🏁 / talladega✌️🤙 & Bristol the two favorite tracks and get rid of them other ones

[@gary24fan]

How did Chris Economaki decide to talk about the color of Joe Ruttman's car just as Davey Allison's engine went south. The guy had absolutely no self-awareness whatsoever.

[@kramnull8962]

Davey wasn't being taken seriously then. He really wasn't taken seriously until Yate's engines started turning 9600 rpm, a couple years later.

[@andrewrcmadwilkinson6999]

CHRIS ECONOMAKIS COMMENT ON F1 SAYS IT ALL RATHER WATCH AN NASCAR RACE LIKE THIS THAN AN F1 RACE ANYTIME

[@joeyjohnson4826]

Back then yes Formula 1 was very good in those days. Had great drivers like Alan Prost and Ayrton Senna. I'll guarantee you if you talk to American kids under 25 at the year 2021 most of them prefer Formula 1... Now I was a kid when this race happened . I was about 15. I like NASCAR I like IndyCar and I like Formula 1 in that order. The only one I could really watch on TV though with any regularity live was NASCAR. that is not the case today. NASCAR today is like a cartoon. These kids aren't into it

[@johnmurray9526]

F1 races from this period are awesome aswell

[@andrewrcmadwilkinson6999]

@@joeyjohnson4826 YES NASCAR HAS BEEN RUINED THE CHASE ETC

[@andrewrcmadwilkinson6999]

@@joeyjohnson4826 NOT IN 1988

[@thelegendchrisb]

Final career top 10 finish for Buddy Baker. It's also his last race in the 1988 season as he missed the rest of the season due to a blood clot caused by an accident during the Coca-Cola 600

[@Stiitchjones]

You have to wonder how well he was feeling during this race, he probably shouldn't have been in the race car. He was right there in the top five at the end and something happened to Phil Parsons which got him out of the draft.

[@kramnull8962]

@@Stiitchjones They had alot of problems with cool suits back then as well. Either they worked or you cooked.

[@knobdikker]

The only way Chevy could see the front again at Daytona or Talladega --the restrictor plates

[@alwaysopen7970]

Watch the 87 race and see who is running up close to the front before Allison flew into the fence.

[@knobdikker]

@@alwaysopen7970 yeah. But Terry didn't have the car that Elliott or Davey had! 😂. Didn't see a Sheet-o-let un victory lane that day! Blue OvalAzzWhuppin!

[@David80-lc1xh]

Thumbnail - Best looking NASCAR ever, Bobby Allison's #12 Miller High Life Buick

[@dh2360]

When Winston Cup or NASCAR was worth watching, not now, at least I got to enjoy a good few years before left became more that just the direction on the race track.

[@jeffsmith350]

Much better racing back then. Now race is awful!

[@chha6439]

Earnhardt was amazing. I miss him so.😢

[@cnking27]

I've watched all these old races and this is the first one where I've heard someone call Earnhardt "intimidating," Ned Jarrett says that at 1:56:27 (context starts at 1:56:06)...and I have no doubt that if anyone had called him "The Intimidator" before that, Ken Squire would've jumped all over it in that moment. They even talk about his "Iron Head" nickname at one point in the race and talk about Ralph being nicknamed "Iron Heart," but don't mention "The Intimidator." A couple of online sources that are questionable because they mention Sr. driving the black #3 "throughout his career" say that the nickname came up after the '87 Winston, but I never heard anyone say that in that broadcast or later that year, or any time in this season. And this was his first year in the black Goodwrench paint scheme. I wonder if this might have been the start of the nickname.

[@alwaysopen7970]

Ken Squier's favorite driver was Earnhardt; listen to the races he calls and it's very evident. Earnhardt was known as the Dominator at one point. I had a T shirt with it on it. Might still have it somewhere. I gave a bunch of my old DE shirts to a kid down the street when I started getting too fat to wear them. I had them for every championship as well as stickers on my truck.

[@cnking27]

@@alwaysopen7970 I remember my dad griping about how much Squire favored Earnhardt all the time! He and his best friends were all Ford guys but everyone around us were Earnhardt fans. I don't remember him being called the "Dominator" at all, that's cool to hear. Squire would call him "One Tough Customer" all the time and then started trying to make "Darth Vader" stick once his paint scheme changed to black.

[@mays316]

Why do the engines sounds better doing the 70s 80s 90s than today's NASCAR engines?

[@drivin379]

They were Chevy ford Buick so on so on back then headers carb gas actual racing gas intakes

[@bradkroboth5490]

Go back to Daytona 94 and 95, sterling Marlin's car sounded different. Exhaust tuning

[@mays316]

@@bradkroboth5490 checking now thanks.

[@brianbooher7318]

Real engines by real engine builders. Back in the 80s ever one had a engine builder an is why nascar sucks today everybody basicly has one of 3 engines an 2 people build all the cars.tgats why nascar sucks no identity back in this time you new who the crew Chris were an the crews an even the officials now you got a bunch a god f idiots like robots with a Simpson fire suit an helmet on for no reason you don't no if it is a man woman or a Allen it's rediculis

[@sivvybee]

Firing Order. Engines have a different firing order than they do now. Some of it.

[@waynethomas2796]

REAL NASCAR RACING

[@chrissnyder3430]

I collect these little diecast from this era. I really would love to get the #5 Levi Garrett and the #55 Crown. Anybody know of??

[@tuowl0564]

I'm not sure if they exist due to the laws against tobacco advertising on "toys" back then. I grew up the Rusty fan and have never found a legit diecast of his 1988-1989 #27 Kodiak Pontiac. My guess is that a combo of copyright laws and tobacco laws mean they'll never be made.

[@mikemurphy8107]

I’m a collector too. Where do you find your 80s cars?

[@antborb7215]

@@tuowl0564 They should replace the sponsor names with the names of the drivers, like how the nascar video games censored beer products

[@MrChristopherHaas]

Cant you just get the basic body type and paint it yourself?

[@chrissnyder3430]

@@mikemurphy8107 Hey, I was never notified of this comment!! Sorry bout that! Mostly E-Bay actually.

[@JSchaffer214]

As Waltrip's car started failing Chris Economacki stated, "The fans here don't like Darrell Waltrip, they're cheering as he comes to the pits". You'd think someone who was as brilliant regarding everything racing he'd know as well as anyone that Talladega is Earnhardt country. They weren't cheering the demise of Waltrip but the lead going to Earnhardt.

[@Jimbeanbob88]

You're right about it being Earnhardt country but DW was still not well liked at this time. That all changed the next year after Rusty spun him at the Winston. It's like everyone decided it was okay to cheer for Darrell at that point

[@mrnascar9129]

@@Jimbeanbob88 in 1988 everybody hated earnhardt...

[@Jimbeanbob88]

@@mrnascar9129 I'm not arguing that he wasn't the most hated. Hell going back and watching races from 95.. right as the Gordon run was starting, the fans were still booing the hell out of him.

[@Stiitchjones]

NO...Talladega was actually the alabama gang country....

[@laurastuhler4791]

@@Jimbeanbob88 Sure did, he actually won most popular driver that year and in 1990. My uncle who was a diehard Richard Petty fan actually started rooting for Waltrip then and did for the rest of his career.

[@CC.94]

2:32:30 Dave Despain: I want to go talk to him. I'm going to go talk to him ". Waltrip: Talk to the hand bud. Now ain't the time. LOL. Darrell was probably 40 or early 40s here and still in his prime with a good few years left and I'm talking about winning races and contending for a Championship. Tide was a huge sponsor that jumped at the opportunity to team up with him. Western Auto also huge. Times sure have changed. Sponsors want the youngest and cheapest now.

[@kramnull8962]

Don't give Hendrick that much credit. Waltrip had just got off a 60 race winning team.

[@CC.94]

@@kramnull8962 I didn't think I mentioned car owners. Driver only.

[@jessiehenry5405]

2:30:58 Dw Blows Up

[@kramnull8962]

Dw had already won 60 races in 5 years. Test those stats with your favorite non pilot. 59 poles, most of which came in those same years. 35000 more laps led than Earnhardt. Earnhardt only is second to jr in Tshirt sells.

[@stevelatarte3693]

The coffee boys took the checkered

[@tuowl0564]

First career win for Schrader! Great finish!

[@dylanwatson1287]

LMFAO!

[@kenjisenpai6403]

Excuse me, could you tell me whose song is playing at the beginning of the video? Thank you!

[@EricCox4848]

Glenn Frey "The Heat is On".

[@gtrdriver27]

10:05 race start

[@chadarthur7782]

Ernie IrVAN !!!

[@thegreenbird795]

ONE OF THE GREATS...

[@cnking27]

It's funny because Squire is the only one that says it that way, Ned never does and they don't on the ESPN broadcasts either lol.

[@dlbarney2]

Ned has the best 🤡 hair I ever saw🤣

[@dlbarney2]

👀

[@daviclar867]

Looks like you could lose control of your car at any second.

[@alwaysopen7970]

Go out during rush hour and the same can be said.

[@CC.94]

1:01:20 🔥❤️😍

[@jessiehenry5405]

57:30

[@jessiehenry5405]

1:06:14

[@knobdikker]

Restrictor plate bullsheyet race

[@lucashankins9425]

DW is an Allison hater. Jealousy I assume. NASCAR bias is the only reason he is tied with Bobby for wins. I actually grew to love DW until he jumped on the Kyle Busch train….wreck. DW twice almost killed Davey, guess he was happy a helicopter took care of it. He cried when Dale died, but I have never heard him have remorse for an Allison.

[@kramnull8962]

Letting Allison continue without a bumper was totally Waltrip Bias.